Love is Blind
by AlwaysMakingTrouble
Summary: Katara looses her sight and unwillingly becomes a pirate, but can she find the person who still haunts her? Was everything in vain? DISCLAIMER I OWN NOTHING
1. Paper Aeroplane

Paper Aeroplane

She looked out over the vast expanse of icy sea before turning back and sighing. Her brother was terrorizing Aang again. _Of course, pester the almighty Avatar while seeming incredibly stupid, and don't think about your only other family about to leave you for another life…_ She again shook her head. What could she do anyways? Poor Sokka… Suki had died in childbirth and so had the child after so many years of fighting alongside enemies and against the Fire Nation just to have his dreams dashed.

Through all this, however, she had become strong through so many losses and trials. So many had taken her heart and destroyed it, leaving just enough for the next person to hurt her equally if not more. Of course, Jet was her first real love... taken by forces no mortal could control, and Aang stepped in to take his place. Aang. The Avatar. Involuntarily, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. How stupid had she been? Of course, he was completely taken by Mai, which she was slightly glad for. The last… The last was the one she could never forget. The most pure, unadulterated, quintessential meaning of love came from this one individual. And he left her… She was determined to never love again as she had loved him… He never wanted anything from her more than to work alongside her to take down the Fire Nation. He wanted no love. He desired her not. He was focused purely on revenge.

"Katara!" shouted Sokka and she came from her fugue state to reality.

"What?" she asked flatly.

"I've been calling you for five minutes and you just now answer…" He sighed and nudged Aang who was flirting with Mai again. "Don't you think you should be reconsidering leaving and stay here?"

"No." Her reply was curt and unforgiving.

He snatched Aang back to his side, and his face fell into seriousness- an oddity. "We spend years together fighting against the Fire Nation and now you just want to run off into the Unknown by yourself?"

"Sokka, I'm not taking anyone with me and I'm using the money Gramma left behind for me. I have to go find myself. I am not meant for the cold, icy, barren Water Nation, and it took me traveling the world just to discover it." Her responses had become mechanical and very much rehearsed.

"Well, I'm not about to let my only family leave me, and Aang won't either, will you, Aang?"

No reply.

"Aang?" He turned around to find Aang was long gone, probably chasing Mai around the village. "Great…"

"Sokka…" Her tone softened as she bit her lip and tasted blood. "I don't think Aang and Mai are going to stay in the Water Nation either… They'll most likely go back to the Earth Nation…"

"So where do I go? Do I just stay here and die alone? Katara… We have been closer than the rivalry between the nations and you're going to leave me with nothing after our whole lives spent together?" He was now pleading with her, which, in her eyes, was intolerable.

"Go with Aang and Mai, or grow up." She had had it. Her heart turned to stone right in front of her brother's eyes.

"No, sister. I am going with you."

Rage flashed in her eyes, and before she knew what she was doing, she encased him in ice from the shoulders down. "You. Will. Not. Follow. Me."

She looked into her brother's eyes before turning around and walking away. Bending all the way to the Earth Nation would be difficult, but she could do it. Maybe she could join some of the pirates on the seas and get boarding all the way over there… Who knew the possibilities?

With a couple of well-placed bending tricks she learned on the road to maturity, she made a solid foundation to bend on and began sailing onward. Her thoughts pinged off the walls of her skull violently until she finally paid them a little attention. A wave of agony and regret washed over her pulling her under and into her thoughts.

"_Katara…"_

"_Zuko… Please… Just…"_

"_I can't stay Katara. This will never work right… Maybe in the future we could-" He's cut off by quiet whimpers and even quieter sobs. "Please… Katara… Don't cry…"_

"_You expect me to be just fine?" The words are barely comprehensible._

"_No…"_

"_Where are you going?"_

"_Some place you'll never find me…" His voice was strained._

"_But… But Zuko…"_

"_I love you, Katara." He kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand one more time before turning around and leaving for good._

_She wanted to call out, but she was drowning…_

Drowning? That wasn't the feeling she remembered… It was like fire in her lungs… No… She _was_ drowning, and no one was there to save her! Her senses came to her all too quickly as she sucked in a large amount of water and her vision was swiftly fading around the edges. Nothing would save her now. She was at least fifty miles out to sea if not more and no pirates dared to even sail within two hundred miles of Water Nation territory for fear of "the Water Nation Army." A big lie.

This was it for Katara- companion of the Avatar, Waterbender, and lost lover.

"_Waterbender! No! This can't be happening… She looks just like someone I think I knew…"_

"_Get her on the ship, boy. We'll see if she lives."_

"_It's bad luck to have a lass on board, sai."_

"_You're just going to leave her there, sai? I'll take it on myself to care for her, sai."_

"_Hurry up, boy! There's a storm a comin', and I ain't 'bout to have a guilty conscience on me hands."_

_*Splash.*_

"_Don't worry… I'll take care of you…"_

Hot spines began stabbing her in her lungs as she gasped for air like a landed fish. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around blindly, blinking continually, unable to see. A raspy cough escaped her burning lungs and she closed her eyes frustrated. She heard someone walk into her room and she sat up opening her eyes and seeing nothing.

"Well, good morning to you, too, stranger." The voice was familiar but it could have been her own brother for all she knew.

"I can't see you. Why can't I see you?"

"Um… I'm not sure why. Come here a second."

She stood wobbling a great deal, trying to find her balance. "Oh, yeah… The 'can't see' thing."

She chuckled at how easily the person communicated with her and found herself again. "Would you come over here?"

"Sure thing." Clunky boots sounded his approach, and she stiffened at the unfamiliarity. "Hold still, okay?"

She nodded but just couldn't promise anything as he touched her arm and then her face very carefully like she was some precious jade ornament that would break if you looked at it funny. His hands were rough but had a gentle touch to them. The touch was familiar, but she pushed the thought aside thinking that it was just because she longed for the touch of her heart's pining. His hands went over her facial features carefully.

"Close your eyes a sec…"

"O-okay…" She did and ever so delicately did his thumb go over her eyelids and over her most prominent features in her face- her cheekbones and brow line. "How is this helping my eyes?" She asked halfway jokingly.

"It's not… But it's helping me remember."

"Remember?"

"It's a story for another day," he said with some gentle force behind it.

"So is mine, I suppose."

A moment of silence ensued as he continued to study her features. "Where were you headed?"

The question caught her off guard. "The Earth Nation…"

"Why the Earth Nation? Aren't you a Waterbender?"

"Well, yes, but I'm looking for someone."

A timid sigh was all she received for a moment. "I don't think you'll be doing any more looking…"

"I'm _BLIND?_" Rage flared up in her again before she heard a loud slap and a quiet groan.

"Freezing seawater tends to do that to people's eyes."

"Damnit!" She fumed and threw herself back to land on her bed but ended up in her companion's arms.

"You have a little temper don't you?"

She cut him off, wallowing in her despair. "I've played in this water my whole life and never had this happen!"

"Well, there's a first time for everything…"

"Damn Sokka! He was _right_! I shouldn't have ever left without him! I wouldn't be here if he were here with me! I wouldn't be _blind_ if he were here with me! I wouldn't- Would you put me down?"

"Sokka?" His voiced sounded slightly relieved.

"Put me _down!_" And he did so. "Yes! My brother!"

"Oh…" His reply this time did not sound relieved.

For some reason evading her, Katara began to cry miserably.

The bed shifted as her partner sat down beside her and let his arm wrap around her and pull her close to his chest. "Shh… Don't cry… Please?"

Her tears were reduced to sniffles as she tilted her face up to her savior. "I… wish I could see you..."


	2. Gravity

**_Yeah I know I didn't do an author's note last time, bbbuuuttttttt reviews make me happy and don't flame me pppooorrrr fffaaaavvvoooorrrrr (:_**

Gravity

Her tears were reduced to sniffles as she tilted her face up to her savior. "I… wish I could see you…"

"Why?" His tone sounded surprised.

"So I could thank you for helping me." The harsh, cold voice that had been hers only twenty-four hours ago had disappeared.

"Oh… Don't mention it."

Timidly, her hand reached up to his face that was just far enough away that her knuckles barely brushed his jawline. In the midst of darkness, there was a light right in front of her, its warmth stretched over her and filled her from the inside. She then pulled back from him slightly.

"I'm sorry… I'm not like this all the time. I'm not like this at all…" Her voice broke and silent tears fell from her face.

"Neither am I…" His voice was pained.

"I don't even know who you are…"

"I feel like I've always known you…" He pulled her closer to his chest.

"So do I…"

A warm tear fell on her forehead from her captor. Silently, tears were shed for the past one could not remember and the future one could not see. The agony spread over them both with such passion like a burning fire or a tidal wave rushing the two together. Sleep eventually came over them without mercy and they slept in each other's arms.

Katara was awakened by sudden tossing and she looked around blindly in a moment of hope, but her hopes were dashed as she was still blind. She nudged the slumbering boy still wrapped around her and asked, "What's going on?"

He yawned and she felt him shift. "Just a little squall…"

She frowned so obviously that one needn't sight to sense it.

"Can I help on deck?"

"Of course not."

"Why not?" Her temper was flaring again.

"I _am_ a Waterbender aren't I?"

"True…" He let go of her with some reluctance. "Let's go. I'm sure they could use help, but do you have your sea legs?"

A laugh escaped her. "I grew up on ice, are you kidding?"

Walking in a straight line was more difficult than she'd expected, but they finally made their way up the stairs and onto the main deck.

"What are you doin' up here with 'er, boy?" Who she thought was the captain yelled down from a high place.

_Fantastic. I'll never know his name._ She thought slightly angered, and the water around her ankles swirled away from her. "Whaddya think? To have dinner? She's a Waterbender, Slick!"

Water refused to even come near her now, just bouncing off of an invisible force field of my anger. One second later, all the water on board turned to a sheet of cold as we went through one of the largest waves she was certain she had ever encountered. The wave only lasted a few seconds, but it was long enough that every pirate on board began yelling for their dear lives while Katara and her comrade remained untouched.

"H-how are you doing that?" Her anger flared and she heard a tremendous cracking sound and the sound of shattering glass. It just turned out to be the ice layer she laid over the deck.

A hand touched her shoulder, but instead of being gentle and firm, it was just rough and slightly intimidating. "You the lass that waste of air saved?"

"If you're talking about _him_," She snatched up her savior's hand and laced it with her own. "then yes. He's more helpful than you'd think."

"Um… boy? Why is she a lookin' the otha way?"

All of a sudden, Katara's face got hot and flushed before she turned around to confront the larger man as she found out by poking him in what she thought would be his chest. Turned out that she was poking the very center of his extremely rotund stomach. "Look here, mister. I'm just trying to get to the Earth Nation, and this was all a-" She felt the water beneath the ship begin to churn up in a fashion that resembled the feeling of when the Water Tribe's canoes were hung in a little whirlpool. Unfortunately, this was not one of those little whirlpools but a rather large one… a _rather_ large one. "Are you kidding me?" Immediately, she got to action remembering how to reverse and smooth out the waters for safe travel; since they were still in the Water Nation territory it wouldn't be too difficult, right?

"You, there…"

"Me?" It was the kind voice she remembered.

"Yeah. Hold my waist so I won't fall over."

"Um….."

"Just do it." With that, Katara felt two very hesitant hands place themselves on her waist somewhat shakily. The ship began tilting left. _Counterclockwise… that would stand to reason that…_ Her hands worked deftly, arcing from one point to another in such skillful manner that it seemed effortless until the water began responding; then, it felt like trying to bend saltwater taffy after it's been chilled. The swiftness of the water was strong, but she fought against it with all her might until the currents became more malleable under her hands. The harder she worked, the more the ship tilted upright again and the waters bowed beneath her commands. Sweat covered her face in a dripping film that coated her whole body after a few minutes of getting the ship completely upright and shifting the currents to send the ship into calmer waters. The firm hold on her waist never faltered and she smiled. Trying to look up at the male, she smiled then fainted in his arms.

After what seemed like a few minutes to the Waterbender, she awoke and attempted to look around yet again but to no avail. She sat straight up and felt that she was back in the room she woke up in the first time. Now, she felt the waters pulling against and toward the ship in perfect harmony, wavering over every little splinter. She yawned and the waters seemed to make the ship's wooden sides sigh as well. So where was she going? She couldn't ever go back to the Water Nation to face her angry brother. She couldn't see the man she wanted even if she tried. She was with a load of pirates and one man who seemed decent enough.

"Well you're up early…" She jumped a little.

"Is it so early?"

"Actually, yeah. It's just past midnight. You've been asleep about two days since you saved our sorry asses."

"Oh wow…" She flopped back on the bed. "So now what?"

"The waters are pretty calm out, so why don't you come on up with me? I'm keeping watch tonight. I was watching you when Sarge came down and demanded that I work. I haven't been away from you for too long just in case you woke up. Now that you are… You can stay here or come up there with me. But I don't think wandering is such a good idea when the others haven't been around a female in quite a while."

The rest about wandering around didn't even make it to her ears. "You want to take me up there?'

His tone sounded surprised when he responded, "Well, yeah."

She jumped up and reached for his hand and realized she grabbed his thigh, making her face incredibly hot. "Um…"

"Um… Well then…"

"Um…"

"Let's um… Go…"

He grabbed my hand roughly, not like before but almost eagerly and angrily. "I want to show you something."

She sighed, "I can't see, but okay…"

He took her, softer now, up the stairs and onto the deck where she could feel the tides changing again. Breathing deeply, she could taste the salt in the air and the wind became warmer. "That's a lovely necklace, by the way…" He touched her neck and traced down her neck.

She pulled back. "So what were you going to show me?"

There was a moment of awkward silence before he pulled his hand away and laughed heartily. "Hold on and don't scream."


	3. Invincible

**_Come on and give a little love! Reviews make me update faster people. Really (; Sorry this is a filler chappy but still. All part of it._**

Invincible

"Wait. Wha-ah!" In an instant she was no longer standing on the deck but in the air and over her captor's shoulder. "PUT ME DOWN!"

He held her waist and caught her chin as she struggled. "Stay quiet or you'll attract unwanted attention… The guys are edgy and the worst thing I need right now is for them to think I was carrying you off to…"

She quit squirming immediately. "Then what is your intention, sir?"

He chuckled, now releasing the tight hold on her chin. "Please, call me Zac. And I'm taking you up, so hold on."

Katara didn't move one single muscle as Zac began climbing up, up where she didn't know, but about a few minutes into climbing, she had the feeling that they were very high up. Only a little bit longer did Zac climb before he sat her down on a plank floor and pulled on her hand. "Come on, stand up."

Her thighs ached a little and were beginning to become sore after all the work she had done over the past couple of days. The wind whipped her braid around her shoulder and little pieces of her hair were coming down. The moist air was refreshing as she could begin to feel the water droplets on the tip of her tongue. There was a feeling inside of her like a fire was lit within her soul and the one she was with lit that very fire. She felt like she could hear the stars above her singing and shining on her in the most peculiar way; the feeling was so intense that her hand searched for his, but she never found it.

"What happened to you?" She recalled the time he said he lost his memory.

She turned toward the sea and breathed deeply. Warmth came from beside her and a warm, soft, gentle hand enveloped her own. "I… I don't know. They say I was roaming the Earth Nation by myself looking for a girl… Something about you reminds me of the girl, but I don't know why. There are some things that they won't tell me like I kept saying the girl's name and calling her in my sleep. I was running from the Fire Nation or something when I tripped on the dock and knocked myself out when I hit my head on one of the moors. I agreed to help the Sarge when he promised to take me back to the Earth Nation after he had made his rounds in the other nations for pirating and trading, but I'm glad he saved me when he did. Lest I shan't have found you, angel." He stroked her cheekbone with his outstretched index finger. She sighed contently. "May I call you that?"

"Angel?"

"Yeah…"

"Of course." She smiled shyly.

"What happened to you, Angel?"

"I was… running away. My life wasn't the way I wanted it to be and I was looking for someone… I left to find him, but I got distracted. It _is_ a little ironic for a Waterbender to almost drown." She laughed bitterly. "Now I couldn't see him if he were right in front of me."

"This guy you were after… What was he like?"

"Gorgeous, kind, brilliant, strong, powerful, soft-spoken… Holder of my heart even though he left me…" She turned her head. "He wouldn't even tell me why. He just left me…"

"Why would any idiot leave you? You're beautiful and smart and nice and- and…" He sounded flustered and somewhat intolerant.

"Don't worry, Zac. He was… He is… It's not important."

"Yes, it is." She pulled back a little as the grip on her hand grew tighter.

"Don't worry…" She reached out with her other hand to ruffle his hair. Clumsily, she bumped into his cheek where she spread her hand across his cheek. Some of the skin was parched and scarred; she let her hand trail lightly over his cheek and over the side of his face where the skin only changed a little from scarred and parched to scarred and tender and back again. Her hand travelled from his cheek into his hair where she twisted his shaggy mess through her fingers.

"Angel…" He sighed and ended up being closer than Katara thought. He placed one hand on her hip and the other hand on her cheek. For what seemed like the longest time, they stood there incredibly close to one another until Zac stooped a little and pressed his forehead against Katara's and breathed deeply. A few seconds of standing like that was nearly unbearable. Zac's lips barely brushed Katara's before she leaned in and took him off guard. Hot tears ran down her face, cold and confused she sank deeper into the kiss not wanting to go back to anything, not the pain, not the hurt; she wanted to be lost at sea forever.


	4. Map of the Problematique

_**Roses are Red. Violets are blue. I love you all, so review! (But no flames, or I'll hunt you!)**_

Map of the Problematique

Katara woke up the next morning with sore muscles and laying on a hard surface. She felt around and found Zac lying by her side curled into a fetal position and holding her hand against his chest. She just laid there a while until he stirred and let go of her hand. "Good morning, Angel."

She felt a small smile touch her face bringing heat into her cheeks. "Good morning…" A warm hand touched her cheek carrying a sigh as it drew away.

"Do you know how to fight?" The question struck Katara as somewhat odd.

"I learned a bit of fighting in my travels, but I'm a Waterbender and now I'm blind."

The air lightened more than it had been the entire morning. It seemed to Katara like she didn't know an iron veil surrounded them, but when it was lifted, she could feel it dissipate. "I'll teach you, how's that?"

She smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'd love it."

A little guffaw came from him before she felt him stand and sling her over his shoulder, which, by this time, was becoming normal. On the way down, Zac finally piped up, "I want you to learn to fight, so you can fend off any of the crew or anyone we encounter on the road…. Or sea….."

A few hours into beating Zac at every sword match blindfolded so to speak, Katara sat down right in the middle of the deck and fell backwards. She was simply exhausted and didn't care who saw her. She closed her eyes though she couldn't see and relaxed for a few moments before she heard a few people muttering things like, "Who _is_ she?" and "She beat your best swordsman, sai." And mostly, "That's just bad luck."

Zac came up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Angel. You must be starving; you haven't eaten the entire time you've been here…" His voice was overwhelmed with concern.

She turned her face up to his voice and furrowed her brow. "You know… I _am_ hungry as a matter of fact."

He picked her up and carried her to the kitchen, much to her dislike. "You worked really hard today, and I'm not going to let you stumble all over the boat and risk you running into Darrak. He's someone I wouldn't trust in the least." Footsteps echoed down the hall. More than just one pair.

There was a pause and she felt his heart pound in his chest. "What about me, son?"

She was set down and was pushed behind her savior. "Stand down, Darrak."

"Why should I, you useless scum? You better pay up or I'll just take your little princess…"

"Let's not get into this right now, Darrak. Not in front of the lady at least. We'll settle our dispute in a more civil manner than a brawl in front of a lady." The tone of the man holding Katara in his arms changed from a playful, young man into a prince.

"You really are just the coward everyone said you were. I suppose you won't even fight for your little slut." A crackling sound not that much unlike fire whooshed through the room and left a charred scent in its wake. In a world of darkness, Katara saw a light. It wasn't like looking at someone in a normal light, but someone was glowing from the inside. For the first time since she'd been on the ship, she _saw_ something- she saw a young man. Just as quickly as the flash of light had come, it had gone and taken the glow along with it.

It took her a moment to regain her senses, but Katara finally snapped back into reality to hear Darrak screaming and pleading. "Who _are_ you?"

Katara began to speak and one syllable caught in her throat before she was slung over Zac's shoulders and hurdling through space at a young man's sprint. He stopped unexpectedly and let her slip to the ground dizzy and confused.

"What just happened?"

"I- Stay here. Bei, take care of her. I have to go."

Katara felt a brush of wind blow by her and a gentle kiss on her cheek. "I'm sorry. My past is catching up. I'll be back… In the meantime, Bei will care for you. I trust-" He started away.

"Zac, wait. Don't-" She was cut off by the closing of a door.

There was a moment of silence and she began crying all over again. She was losing everyone. A firm hand was placed on her shoulder; however, the size and strength of the person's hand was almost feminine.

"Hey, Katara!" The familiar voice echoed in her mind, and Katara jumped back about three feet and ran into the wall.

"_Toph?_" Katara was stunned. There was no way she could just keep running into people. "What are you _doing_ here?"

"The question is," Katara could just picture Toph pointing her index finger at her playfully with a huge grin on her face. "What are _you_ doing here in the middle of the ocean?"

"I would venture to ask you the same…"

"Well, why don't you start? Come on and sit down. The floor isn't the most comfortable thing on this canoe."

"C'mon. Don't make fun of canoes…" She laughed a little before following her friend's voice and tripping over a chair and crashing to the floor.

Toph cackled and snorted in a very Toph way and said though giggles, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think _you_ were blind!"

"Actually…" Toph quit giggling.

"'Actually' what?"

"I am blind."

Toph gasped loudly and asked, "What happened?"

Katara proceeded to take another ten minutes to explain what all had work against her in the recent turn of events. She was only interrupted a few times by gasps and apologies from the one person she thought would just be frigid.

Toph finally put a hand on Katara's shoulder to comfort her. "No one should have to live and then go blind. I was born this way and I don't mind so much, but _look_ at you!"

"I wish I could…"

"You had it made, and you risked it all for Zuko."

"I know…"

"If he knew, he would be honored."

"I know…" Tinges of guilt crept into Katara's tone.

"Why the guilt 'Tara?"

"I don't want Zuko anymore…"

"Oh… You've fallen for Zacky, haven't you?" A playful nudge found its way into my upper arm.

"Shut up, Toph…" She wanted to smile and giggle, but she couldn't.

"Oh yeah, by the way, speaking of him, he knows me as Bei. I know. I had to lie."

"He calls me Angel, so don't feel too bad."

"Awwwwwwwwww…."

"Shut up, Toph." Katara began to feel the waters shift along the ship rougher than before. "Oh yeah, Zac said you'd feed me, so feed me."

"Oh, that's Doc's problem." There was a slight pause. "DOC! FOOD! NOW!"

Shuffled steps came from another room and the smell of food filled the quarters, and Toph began telling her tale. "I was in the Earth Nation and everyone loved me, but I had gotten used to the whole refugee thing, so I went to the ports with Doc and we met Sarge-chan."

"Wait… What's his name?"

"Sarge."

"That's odd…"

"I know! But anyways… Sarge-chan knew who I was and I insisted he just call me Bei. He agreed and I went to work on his ship immediately. I could get anything he wanted for free so we tricked out his ride. Not too long after I changed from my crappy clothes into some good ones that Zu- … Zac came up and tripped all over a rock someone_ accidentally_ placed in the way. And he tripped and lost his memory."

"You're evil, Toph."

"I know." Katara could almost picture Toph's impish grin and her leaning back in her chair with her arms behind her head.

"Here you are Miss Bei Fong." The voice was almost manly.

Doc set down some delicious looking food in front of Katara and she smiled widely. Her stomach rumbled greatly and Toph laughed. "Eat! Don't just sit there!"

Katara and Toph ate and laughed while eating the grand meal Doc had prepared for them while Toph told her many hilarious stories.

"Oh, did you know I screwed with the guy who had the cabbages some more? I completely tipped over his cart with Doc and the cabbage guy _freaked_." She cackled and snorted. "Foaming at the mouth and everything"

"Dude! My dad was so pissed when Doc and I went out and accidentally tore up some of his things like….. The Jade and Amber Palace….."

"I ripped my dress off and pissed off so many tailors because it was silk."

Katara continued to laugh heartily before Doc entered the room again hurriedly. "Toph… You and Katara need to come up to the main deck… It's not good up there."

"Don't worry little buddy." Katara heard Toph get up and felt a pull on her arm.

"Let's go Katara."

"Wait. Here." Katara thought she heard Doc whisper something in Toph's ear, but she wasn't sure.

"Now go. It's not looking good up there."


	5. Iridescent

**_Yeah a filler. What do you want? Lol. No reviews make me post less chapters. That means the chapters I do post will be flimsy lol._**

Iridescent

Katara was led by Toph who was led by Doc up the stairs from the hull and onto the deck where it had begun to rain like mad. The oceans were as unsettled as Katara's stomach. She really wished she had her wineskin filled with water, but she was certain Zac had taken it off of her when he found her or it was probably lying on the ocean floor. The sea water was going to have to be enough.

"You useless piece of filth!" A whip cracked in the air and slapped across skin. The recipient merely grunted and breathed heavily. Another flash of light lit up Katara's newfound darkness and she saw a glowing, golden young man strapped to a dimly lit mast and a golden flash of fire shoot around the mast. She looked down and back up and there was no more light.

"Did you see-"

"I can't see anything, Katara." Toph sighed quietly. "What did you see?"

"Must have been my imagination," she sighed in despair.

Katara turned her attention back to the scene before her, even though she couldn't see it for herself. Doc had to tell them every detail that went on. "They've got Zac tied-"

"To the mast," Katara finished.

"Yeah. They're beating him and-"

"He's fighting them off using fire," She finished again getting more and more anxious.

"Yeah. And he's-"

"NO!" Katara threw herself forward from the shadows and the ship groaned under the pressure of the ocean. Heat came bubbling up from the deepest confines of Katara's heart and she found strength she didn't know she had. Dimly, she could pick out Zac who gave off a muted gold glow, Toph who had a muted emerald, and Doc who was a faint, grey shadow. Something flew out from her and the ocean formed itself into a whip of her own. The ocean's waves crashed over the sides of the ship and pulled one crew member after another into its raging seas. The sea seemed satisfied to leave two men left- Sarge and Darrak.

"Bei. Help me dispose of these traitors."

"Gladly."

The muted emerald figure flashed a brilliant green and five stones came from a masked pocket and struck each in the forehead. Toph cursed. "Not enough earth here to kill them." Not being enough force, a shining, ice blue blade cut through the dark as a snake like figure of leftover water made its way to the wretches and engulfed them with one swallow.

They screamed for mercy and help, but Katara could only feel smug and superior over them. She heard the wood groan again as the basilisk dove over the side of the ship and sank into the depths, the ice blue changing into the black surroundings Katara had become familiar with.

The golden boy had faded into a barely noticeable brighter spot in a black space. "Zac!" Katara began running even though she couldn't see. She tripped a couple of times and caught herself before she landed on the deck with Toph and Doc right behind her. She collapsed on her knees with the rain beating on them both roughly. His breathing was ragged and hard.

"Angel…"

"Shh… I'll get you all patched up and-" Her hands worked their way onto his shoulders and felt hot, sticky blood all over him. Another flash of brilliant, ice blue cut through the darkness and the ship took a steep tilt downward and shot up again.

"Angel…"

"I'll take care of you," she tried to say through gritted teeth and tears. She couldn't lose someone else. She saw Zuko leaving her again and Jet dying right before her eyes. She felt the pain Sokka endured as Suki bore a child and died not an hour later- her and the child. She felt herself drowning again and felt parts of her dying. The blood trickling through her fingers signaled another dying right in front of her.

His breath softened and she picked him up with strength of the woman who fought side by side with the enemy. Now was not the time to be the soft woman who was weak to her emotions. "Toph, help me get him taken care of…"

"Katara…" The voice of Zuko rang in her head, and Katara stopped, nearly fainting. Doc came up and caught Zac before she could fall with him. The instant he was out of her arms, she collapsed.

Dreams of her loved ones, her parents, her grandmother, her brother, Jet, Toph, Aang, Suki, Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko… The dreams plagued her. She would run out to them and touch them, and they'd turn to ash and drift away… She swam through the ashes of the bridges she had burned and those that had been burned for her, hoping that she would never encounter any of them ever again. Hoping against all hope that she would be lost at sea forever and become the spirits' messenger- just hoping that she would become Amphitrite's assistant and guide the lost on their way.

She was swimming in the ashes of her own death.


	6. If Everyone Cared

**_Reviews help a girl who feels a little blue! :D As long as you guys are enjoying it, awesome!_**

If Everyone Cared

Katara woke up with a groan as her muscles ached with soreness and a hot pain she'd never felt before. She looked around to no avail and tried to remember people's faces, but the details were getting dimmer by the day. Soon, she feared she might know only the gist of a dear friend's features. The only one she remembered was the one she wanted to forget the most. Unfortunately, she craved to see that face more than she wanted to get up and silence her growling stomach and it had become her single most occupying thing and the driving force for her to wake up in the morning. The masochistic strive just to see him again was enough to drive her to insanity, or the brink rather.

She woke up and noticed something different but ignored it and went straight to Zac's room, ignoring her hunger or thirst. She finally found her way and placed a hand on his bare chest.

"Hi, Angel…"

She said nothing back but turned her face away from him. "I see Bei dressed you in something less raggedy… I would have, but I was trying to be decent…"

_That's_ what was different. She was wearing something else than her usual Water Tribe clothing. "It's getting a little hot for you to be wearing snow clothes, my Angel. We're almost to the Earth Nation."

Katara still said nothing but sat by his side silently. "You know, I had this dream about a girl that looked just like you. I think her name started with a 'K' but I can't be sure… I just don't know how I devised that. Maybe I'm recovering some of my memory but mixing some of it up."

"It's a possibility…" She whispered.

"That'd be interesting for everything to just suddenly come back to me. Bei says there's someone who can heal you back in the Earth Nation. I thought we could go there if you wanted to."

"We?" She was taken aback by the word used so freely.

"That is if you want anything to do with a refugee, pirate, whatever-I-am."

"O-Of course."

"Then it's settled. I want to be with you, Angel."

She didn't know quite what to say so she said nothing. The day went on with her in his room cleaning and listening to the sound of the water rushing by them, shoving hem closer to their destination by the minute. Zac would mainly sleep and talk about things to Katara and then sleep some more.

About the second time Doc came in with food, he told Katara that she should eat, and she weakly complied. She stuffed her face with several different things, all of which either tasted like mango or chicken or mango chicken.

"It all tastes like mangos, doesn't it?" Zac piped up after waking up from a sleepy little nap.

"Yeah, but I like mangos."

"You do?" His voice sounded surprised.

"Yeah, when I used to get them when I was little, my brother and I used to fight over who got the best one. I always lost."

"Do you miss your brother?"

"Being on the sea for an indefinite amount of time will make anyone miss anything, but yeah, I miss Sokka and Aang and even Mai and Suki."

"Who?" His voice gave off distress and some excitement like he remembered something.

"You know… Aang… The Avatar…"

"Oh… I thought I remembered something significant, but that's common knowledge."

"Yeah, I guess. He's an okay guy."

"You sound like he broke your heart."

"Nah, we were young and couldn't figure out our feelings for each other and decided just to stay friends. It was mutual. I _have_ had my heart broken though…"

"Haven't we all?" Katara nodded. "Tell me about it."

"Really?" Katara was confused and mildly overwhelmed by the sincerity.

"Well, yeah. I wouldn't have asked otherwise."

"Well, I travelled with the Avatar for a while. Actually, it was my brother, Sokka, and me that found him trapped in ice. Long story short, we finally left with him. We wandered around fighting and bickering, but we were eventually very close knit. I started having feelings for him, which he reciprocated for a while, but we decided against it. Then, there was a guy named Jet who drew me in and became a mind controlled traitor. In the end, he was killed… There were of course others, but Jet and Zuko stood out the most."

"Zuko?" He sounded like he was concentrating.

"Yeah. He's the Prince of the Fire Nation, or King rather. He stole my heart completely and has yet to give it back. He was our enemy and we ended up fighting side by side. He was a raging fire and path of destruction just trying to redeem himself and became a refugee under his father's rule. His sister tried to kill him more than once and he was just this wounded, tortured individual… Whom I loved very much so."

With that, Zac became quiet and Katara thought she might have been asleep, so she began singing softly the way she would to Zuko while he slept and no one else knew. She leaned back in her chair and sang for a little while. "… And there's nowhere else to turn. We have nothing left to lose-" She trailed off a little sleepily.

"We took our chances. Now we're together. We have something else to prove…" Zac finished the line with stunning accuracy in words and tune.

Katara's back stiffened. "How do you know that song?"

"I- I don't know. I just remember someone singing it to me when I was younger or something…"

"You have to be a Waterbender then. Not a Firebender. It's a traditional song from the Water Nation." She sighed as she thought of her grandmother rather than how he could have known the song.

"Who used to sing that to you?"

"My grandmother sang it to my brother and me when we were very young, and I used to sing it to the younger kids when they were infants and toddlers."

"You seem like a motherly type to little kids. I can't stand them."

"Neither can I, ironically. Toddlers aren't bad for a little while and neither are babies, but no one wants me to be around them for very long or it gets interesting." Katara smiled and reached over to where Zac was. He caught her hand and pulled her over onto the small bed with him. "Your back must be killing you."

"No. Being away from you is killing me." He pulled her by his side and placed her hand over his heart which thudded contently. "You know, I could take that Zuko guy out when I get better."

Katara tilted her head up to him and smiled softly. "I can't even find him."

"We'll just have to find him together…"

She was fading quickly and sighed in agreement. For the first time since she was abandoned, she did not dream of Zuko. She dreamed of a golden light that was Zac.


	7. We are Broken

**_Hope y'all are enjoying! (:_**

We Are Broken

Katara woke up a few minutes before Zac and began to wonder if she ever wanted her sight back. She could see some things, like the sheer beauty of Zac's soul. She could see her friends by their elemental souls and it was just as beautiful as any sunset and even rarer than the Lights of the North. She smiled to herself as she heard his heart beat under her and placed her hand on his cheek.

"And there's nowhere else to turn. We have nothing left to lose. We took our chances. Now we're together. We have something else to prove. We've taken the time together. I'll take these nations to hell if there's any losing you."

"Let us gather here together, on the banks of the waters. Let us gather here together, and test the edges of the unknown-"

Katara giggled a little. "You always scare me when you just start talking from a deep sleep."

"For some unfathomable reason, I thought you'd watch me 'til I wake, young love." He said this with some bitter humor in his tone.

"Please don't make me move," she sighed.

"Why, my Angel?"

"I want to spend the rest of my life right here…"

He laughed timidly. "My back is starting to get sore though…"

She rolled off immediately. "I'm so sorry. You should have spoken up sooner."

"I didn't say I didn't like it…"

"That's not masochistic at all." Her sarcasm was obvious in her tone as well as she rolled her useless eyes.

He stroked her cheek and sighed. "You're eyes are fading…"

"What?' The statement really made no sense at that moment.

"You're eyes used to be a beautiful blue… Now they're turning grey like Bei's. They're still beautiful as ever…"

"How far is it to the Earth Nation?"

Zac couldn't reply and simply stroked her cheek. "It's just a day's journey." Toph's ever familiar and boisterous voice echoed through the room like thunder. Katara felt Zac jump a little from the unexpected intrusion.

"What's the matter? Are you blind?"

"Oh, shut up, Angel."

"Sorry to intrude on the romantic moment, but that's all ya'll have. Barf." Katara laughed as she faintly pictured Toph pretending to gag herself. A soft chuckle came from Zac as well.

"After today, you guys will be free to do whatever you want. Get married and have babies. Get healed, get married, and have babies. Have babies… Just make lo-"

"That's good, Bei. We get the point." Katara felt Zac's heartbeat accelerate and his skin get hotter.

"What are you going to do once it's all over, Bei?"

"I couldn't tell you… I might run away with Doc and we might… proliferate." She could see, just barely, Toph's smirk. "I won't leave until I can see you see me." She paused a moment. "Well, until you see me at least or I'd never leave!" She laughed and snorted at her own jest.

"We'll be there before the night's end and the dawn of tomorrow so… Do whatever it is you guys do for the rest of the day and Doc'll bring you your food when we're not busy."

"Um, okay."

"See you guys later."

Katara tilted her head up to Zac and grimaced a little. I was going to have to undo his dressings. _Good thing I'm blind, so I can save something for later_. "C'mon Zac. Gotta clean up that back of yours."

"That requires me to take my pants off…"

"Yeah? I'm blind like it'll matter if you're naked or not."

"Urm…"

"Just get naked," Katara sighed in a non-seductive manner.

It was a few awkward minutes later that Zac was talked into being naked in front of a blind girl.

Katara was gentle and extremely cautious of where she put her hands on the chiseled body in front of her. She admired each muscle as she ran her hands down the worn bandages and gently pulled them off.

"Tsst…" He would hiss occasionally as a bandage would tug against a healing wound or a, "Hey, don't touch there!" would escape.

He wouldn't whine much, like he'd been through enough pain to live with a little stinging. She sighed each time he would gasp or comment on something, each time from sadness or frustration at the ordeals in which they had been put.

"You have a wonderful body."

"You have a wonderful touch."

"I hope you still think that when I have to apply this gauze…" She lathered his ropey back with a thick gauze and reapplied bandages.

Katara was nearly certain that it was midafternoon when Doc entered the room and made a slightly disgusted grunt. "So is this how you get your kicks, Zac?"

"Shut up, Doc. If you had a girl like this and you were hurt like this, then I'm sure she'd help you with what you needed as well."

"Oh, Bei helps me with _anything_ I need, Zacky boy." He laughed. "That's where I've been all day. Sorry for the wait with food. We… I see land so we'll be there by morning. Here's your food and… Zac, please put on some pants."

Katara heard the door close and she laughed a little. "Personally, I could live with you without your clothes on any day."

"If that's the case, I won't ever wear clothes ever again."

"I'm kidding!" She continued to laugh happily.

"C'mon. You know you just want to see me without my clothes on."

"I'm not seeing it!" She jested.

"But you feel it…" His tone was serious.

"Of course I feel your body. I kind of have to bandage you up."

He was silent a moment. "Did you ever feel Zuko's body like you have mine?"

"No… I never got the chance. He was all about fighting and continuing onward and never had a moment to even think about being romantic. He never felt the need to satisfy his body but only his blood lust."

"Did you ever want to feel his body?"

Katara was silent. Many a time did she think about being with Zuko in _that_ way. Letting him be the father of her children. Yes, she had thought those things but could never pursue her dreams and fantasies.

"I knew I wasn't going to like the answer…"

"What did you expect?" she asked just a little harshly and wanted to take it back as soon as she had said it. "I'm sorry. He's just a sensitive subject matter."

"I know, Angel." He paused awkwardly. "I would wrap my arms around you romantically and kiss you in a loving embrace, but I'm naked."

"Put on some pants, Zac," Katara laughed and rolled her dulling eyes.

He laughed and did as he was told while Katara disposed of the bandages and leaned back in a chair, not really knowing what do to or where to go on the large ship she refused to explore. She let her eyes grow heavy and fall into sleep briefly just to catch a crystal clear image of Zuko with his shirt abandoned and an image of him removing the Blue Spirit's mask. It made her skin tighten in a pleasant yet odd way. She missed him, no doubt, but she did not want him as she had. She now wanted Zac.

"And there's nowhere else to turn. We have nothing left to lose. We took our chances. Now we're together. We have something else to prove. We've taken the time together. I'll take these nations to hell if there's any losing you. Let us gather here together, on the banks of the waters. Let us gather here together, and test the edges of the unknown. I will fight with all my might-"

"So the waters will say strong. Stronger than the moon-"

"You've _got_ to quit doing that."

He chuckled. "This is our last night together on the ship. The place we met, the place we first kissed…"

"It's been a long while, no doubt, but what are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting that we should be together tonight." He paused. "Just sleep with each other… er…"

"Just to sleep."

"Exactly."

"Okay then. That doesn't sound problematic."

He seemed to be satisfied with her response and they whirred around each other in comfortable silence performing the most menial tasks before they docked the ship.

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"If it takes forever, I will die trying to make you happy."

"We are broken, Zac. We belong."


End file.
